Modern electronics, such as smart phones, personal digital assistants, location based services devices, enterprise class servers, or enterprise class storage arrays, are packing more integrated circuits into an ever-shrinking physical space with expectations for decreasing cost. Numerous technologies have been developed to meet these requirements. Research and development strategies focus on new technologies as well as on improving the existing and mature technologies. Research and development in the existing technologies can take a myriad of different directions.
Modern electronics requirements demand increased functionality in an integrated circuit package while providing less physical space in the system. While these approaches provide more functions within an integrated circuit, they do not fully address the requirements for lower height, smaller space, and cost reduction.
One way to reduce cost is to use mature package technologies with existing manufacturing methods and equipment. The reuse of existing manufacturing processes does not typically result in the reduction of package dimensions. The demand still continues for lower cost, smaller size and more functionality.
Thus, a need still remains for an integrated circuit packaging system including lower cost, smaller size, and more functionality. In view of the ever-increasing need to improve integration and cost reduction, it is increasingly critical that answers be found to these problems. Ever-increasing commercial competitive pressures, along with growing consumer expectations, make it critical that answers be found for these problems. Additionally, the need to reduce costs, improve efficiencies and performance, and meet competitive pressures adds an even greater urgency to the critical necessity for finding answers to these problems.
Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the art.